Kenya’s hopes for a second gold medal at the 2025 World Athletics Championships rest on Olympic marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir, who headlines the women’s marathon team in Tokyo. The 31-year-old star, renowned for her resilience in tough race conditions, is aiming to restore Kenya’s dominance over the 42km distance after Ruth Chepn’getich last won the world title in 2019.
Jepchirchir, who famously overcame sweltering heat to win Olympic gold in Sapporo in 2021, says she is fully prepared for another stern test. The race will be run under similar hot and humid conditions, with organizers adjusting the start time to 1:30 a.m. Kenyan time to reduce heat stress on athletes.
The Kenyan squad also includes Rotterdam Marathon champion Jackline Cherono and Magdalyne Masai, who secured a fourth-place finish at the Tokyo Marathon earlier this year. Veteran Vivian Cheruiyot has been named as a reserve, bringing experience and depth to the team. Jepchirchir has emphasized the importance of teamwork, believing it could make the difference against their fiercest rivals.
Standing firmly in their path is a formidable Ethiopian lineup. Tigist Assefa, who stunned the world with a record-breaking 2:11:53 at the 2023 Berlin Marathon, enters the race as the favorite. She added a London Marathon title earlier this year with a world-leading 2:15:50, underlining her consistency at the top level. Joining her is Sutume Asefa Kebede, a two-time Tokyo Marathon champion and Japanese all-comers’ record holder, along with Tigist Ketema, who triumphed at the 2024 Berlin Marathon. Together, they form a powerful Ethiopian challenge.
International contenders will also be looking to disrupt East Africa’s dominance. Among them are Kenyan-born Israeli runner Lorna Salpeter and Bahrain’s Eunice Chumba, both with impressive records in global competitions.
For Jepchirchir, the stakes are personal as well as national. Victory in Tokyo would make her the first Kenyan to hold both an Olympic and a World Championships marathon title. Despite a disappointing 14th-place finish at last year’s Olympics, her track record in London, Boston, New York, and Valencia proves she remains a major force.
With her vast experience, mental toughness, and leadership, Jepchirchir is poised to inspire her teammates and lead Kenya’s charge for gold in Tokyo’s challenging conditions.
